Catedral de Zacatecoluca, Catholic cathedral in Zacatecoluca, El Salvador.

The Cathedral of Zacatecoluca, officially Our Lady of the Poor Cathedral, has an eclectic facade with Renaissance tendencies rising about 60 metres, the tallest ecclesiastical building in El Salvador. Its west entrance is framed by a narthex; the main nave has a wooden coffered barrel vault, two side naves, two chapels, a crossing with an octagonal dome, and a high altar with Salomonic Baroque columns.

The site began as a simple adobe chapel in the 16th century serving early Catholic worshippers in the region. The current cathedral structure was finished in 1975 after more than a decade of building work.

The image carried in procession each year came from Guatemala in 1850, brought by the Guirola family; in 1854 Bishop Tomás Pineda y Zaldaña blessed it and named Our Lady of the Poor patron of La Paz department, fixing the feast on 26 December. The promise dates to 15 August 1840, when a fire in a ranch was put out by torrential rain.

The cathedral sits in the heart of Zacatecoluca and is easy to find on foot as it serves as a main landmark in town. Regular services and religious events take place here, so checking timing before visiting helps plan your stop appropriately.

According to local tradition, a major fire threatened the community in 1840 but was stopped through fervent prayer. This account has shaped how residents view their connection to this place of worship for generations.